


The Thunder God

by Palefire73



Series: Loki Origins [25]
Category: Frigga - Fandom, Loki - Fandom, Marvel, Norse Gods - Fandom, Thor - Fandom, odin - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Loki senses something others might not see, Peril, Thor gets his powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 18:48:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12260028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Palefire73/pseuds/Palefire73
Summary: Since I have written a bit about the development of a few of Loki's talents in this series so far, I thought it might be fun to suggest just how Thor became The God of Thunder. I apologise if there is actual real lore out there which tells us exactly how he did, but I have not researched it as I wrote this at eleven in the evening and my brain could not take in new facts.I must warn you that the death of an animal is mentioned for those of you that are upset by such things. It is not graphic, but it is there and I need to tell you because this is a general rating.





	The Thunder God

Two magnificent horses, bedecked in the colours of the King if Asgard, proudly headed a long column which stretched back for just under a quarter of a mile. Their tack gleamed in the early morning sunshine and as one of the lead horses tossed its head and snorted, the crest of fine feathers it wore fluttered and tickled its rider’s nose.

 

The young Prince Thor raised a weary and grubby hand to rub his nose irritably and then took hold of his reins again. _Why was this taking so long? Why could they not simply canter along the way and get back to Asgard much quicker?_ He slumped in his saddle as they rode slowly on, wishing that he was already back in the Royal Nursery. He longed to see his mother and Fulla, to be able to rest on a comfortable bed and to play with his toys. But most of all, he ached to see Loki. Several weeks without someone much younger and more fun to play with were beginning to take their toll on the Prince, despite the fact that he had looked forward to this right of passage as a man. But it had all come to a sudden and unhappy end, leading to this awful trek back in much lower spirits than they had been in when they had walked the other way on foot to get to the Royal Training Grounds. There were small mercies however: the terrible rain from the night before had calmed into a grey drizzle.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The first night of being away at the Royal Training Grounds had been very busy and it was only when everyone had finally got to bed that his mind had been quiet enough to turn towards home and what everyone might be doing there. It had been a long day and sleep was not far off, but in the last few minutes before the Sleep Maidens claimed him, his mind had been solely occupied by thoughts of his little brother, Loki. He wondered how the younger boy was feeling. Did he miss his older brother? Was he upset at being alone in the nursery bed for the first time? Could he sleep? Thor had felt distinctly lonely in the bed he had been given here in his room at the Royal Compound, and his sleep had been dogged with dreams of searching for Loki yet constantly failing no matter how hard he tried.

 

Things had become easier by the end of the first week, however; simply by placing Loki’s toy, Helgrindr, on the pillow next to him, Thor had solved the problem of missing his brother and the active days had tired him out so much that he had managed to fall into a deep and pleasant sleep each night thereafter. He had enjoyed the month of training, too. It had been hard, of that there was no doubt, and he had sustained many injuries, had lots of late nights and had generally been challenged by the activities on offer. But he had excelled in his lessons, much to the approval of The All Father. He had taken to each type of training and had gone into it with great enthusiasm, as had his friends. So much so that they had ended up making greater progress than had been anticipated and had passed the standards required in a shorter time than they had been allocated.

 

It was because of this that Odin had changed the schedule, announcing it one evening as they all supped in the Royal Hall. After completing a long day of tests of activities such as marksmanship and fire building, the trainees had gone back to their barracks, taken long baths together and had been pampered by the attendants in the spa. Then they had been invited to a special supper to mark their accomplishments. The resident cooks had prepared savoury stews, roast meats of various kinds and speciality breads which were complimented by tangy local cheeses and everyone tucked in to the delicious food with great enthusiasm.

 

The Royal Hall in the compound was not as grand as the Great Hall in the Palace of Asgard of course, but it was very richly appointed, with carved wooden pillars supporting the lofty vaulted ceiling, wrought iron wall sconces holding flickering torches, thick rugs depicting wild animals and battle scenes carpeting the stone floors and large tapestries insulating the walls. A huge wooden table dominated the top end of the hall, where everyone gathered to eat and two large fireplaces ensured the space was kept warm in the colder months. It was an impressive space, fit for the Kings of Asgard while they were away from home.

 

“May I have everyone’s attention?” Odin banged the bone handle of his knife against his goblet and everyone stopped talking to take note of what he had to say. “Firstly, I wish to congratulate our students on their impressive progress whilst here at the compound!” A rumble of agreement arose, especially from the adults present, who consisted mostly of the tutors who had been delivering the education. Odin smiled and waited for the noise to die down. “We seem to have completed our month long programme four days ahead of schedule, something that quite often cannot even be said of professional enterprises!” He was unable to keep the pride out of his voice as he raised his goblet and proposed a toast to his son, Thor, remarking on his prowess as a warrior King even though he had only just arrived at his manhood, and Thor basked in the attention, enjoying every moment of experiencing the first steps on what was surely the road to eventually becoming a King.

“And so it is with great pleasure that I announce the graduates will be going out on exercise tomorrow morning at the break of dawn.” Thor stopped chewing his food and looked at his father, “They will be sent out with a map and instructions and provisions such as those they could expect if they were really out there defending the borders of Asgard. We will see just how well they have been trained!” He smiled at Thor and his companions, who were all looking mildly concerned, and raised his goblet again, “Do us all proud!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So they had been sent out into the wilds on the Mountain of Asgard. Half a dozen of the brightest students, with basic provisions, a map, and instructions to reconnoitre ten square miles of wild woodland with a view to setting up an outpost. They were to report back by the end of the week with information on the terrain and vital resources, such as water, firewood and any natural shelter. It had gone well for three days, with the students all working well together to make progress along little-used animal trails, set up camp each evening and picket and guard the horses through the night. They made excellent use of their new-found knowledge and supplemented their food with wild-foraged plants. Sleep was not incredibly comfortable, but they managed to stay dry and warm and on the fourth evening they reached the furthest point on the map they had been given, where a rocky outcrop overlooked a long drop over a particularly sheer cliff. Thor directed everyone to a good-looking spot for camp which was about thirty feet from the outcrop and tents were quickly pitched while he lit a fire and broke out the rations. They had spent a long day cataloguing details of their journey and it was not long before tiredness overtook them. They drew lots for the night’s order of guarding the camp and horses and while the guard picked a good position for his watch, the rest of them retired.

 

It was no one’s fault in particular, but the first indication that Thor had that there was anything wrong was when his tent was rudely whipped away by a violent gust of wind and rain started to pelt down on him. The screams of horses against the backdrop of a lightning-rent night sky drove him from his dreams into full wakefulness and moments later he was dragged to his feet by one of his friends. Fortunately, it was habit to sleep with one’s cloak wrapped around oneself and so he was dressed – he even had his boots on due to the recent cold on the mountainside. A quick check found that all the students were together, but the horses were panicking. One of the students untied the tethers and the frightened animals bolted, one of them straight towards the outcrop. Thor ran after the terrified animal, but he could not save it; tragically illuminated by a fateful flash of lightning, he witnessed its fall over the cliff. He quickly returned to the camp and shouted out instructions into the howling wind.

“We must gather our things as quickly as we can and find shelter! A cave or something! Does anyone remember if there is somewhere near here?” They all struggled in the torrential rain to retrieve as much as they could and, having to abandon the horses to their own fate, they trudged back down the way they had come earlier that day, hoping to happen upon something which would get them out of the storm. Fortunately, a peculiar formation of rock appeared out of the dim starlight and they managed to find a relatively dry corner in which they huddled. It was while they sheltered there, keeping warm from each other’s body heat, that Thor realised Helgrindr was missing from his pack. _He had lost Loki’s toy!_ He rummaged through the leather pack, but to no avail: it was gone. Handing the pack to another student, he got to his feet. _He had to find it!_ Loki would be devastated if he arrived back in Asgard without it.

“Where are you going, Thor? You cannot go out in that weather! You will get lost or injured!” A taller, older boy grabbed his arm as he moved towards the entrance to their small shelter.

Thor shook his head, “I have to find Helgrindr, Loki’s toy!” He shouted over the terrible winds, “I think I lost it on my way from the camp. I will stay to the path and I will come straight back here!”

Before he could be persuaded otherwise, he ran off into the storm.

 

It was a bad idea of course. The massive droplets of rain pelted him, the wind buffeted him and the dim light from the stars was not really enough to show the way properly. Only the frequent lightning did anything to illuminate his surroundings, but it would have to do. He picked his way back along what he thought he recognised as the trail, all the while searching the muddy ground for the lost toy, becoming more and more desperate as it eluded him. He began to get angry at the situation and with every successive flash of lightning, which revealed nothing but mud, roots and leaves, he grew angrier. For some reason he felt connected to the ferocity of the storm about him and as he arrived back at the ruined camp there was an almighty burst of blue-white electric energy, which he simply could not avoid. Certain that he was going to be badly injured by the impending strike, Thor raised his arms protectively above his head, but instead of piercing pain, he felt only a massive surge of power. His whole being flooded with pure bright energy and as he raised his head to look up to the Asgardian Night Sky, bolts of electric shot from his eyes and coursed from his splayed fingertips. He was rooted to the spot, but he had never felt more alive as the storm’s power infused him, turning him into an electrical conduit of unimaginable magnitude.

 

Then it was over, but the heightened awareness and sensation of power did not leave him. Invigorated by his experience, the Prince of Asgard looked at his surroundings through eyes suddenly able to see in the dark of the night and strode forwards through the unrelenting rain as if it was a mere drizzle. His prize was in sight: Helgrindr was wedged in the muddy roots of the tree which had been cleaved into two by the giant lightning bolt which had imbued Thor with the power of Thunder. He plucked the toy from its filthy resting place and turned to walk back to where his friends were still sheltering from the storm and wondering where in Hel their Prince had gone.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Of course, the horses – apart from the poor individual who had taken the rather quick route down Asgard Mountain – had galloped all the way back to the Royal compound, altering the tutors and Odin of the students’ predicament. It did not take long for the best trackers to find them huddled in their small crack in a cliff face and they were brought back just in time for the dawn to be breaking. They were stripped of their dirty sodden clothing and quickly dressed in thick warm garments, given a quick breakfast of hot porage, and then the swiftly assembled train of horses and carts began the long journey back to the city of Asgard. After the débacle of the storm, Odin wanted them back at the Palace in safety where they belonged. Thor rubbed at his nose again as he swayed unhappily in the saddle, but then his eyes focussed on something beyond the crest of feathers on his horse – Asgard Palace! His heart soared and it went a long way to diminishing the disappointment of how the trip had ended. Home was now only about an hour away and with it came his mother… and Loki.

 

The next few miles seemed to pass by in a blur and it was not long until they were passing through the giant gates of the Palace of Asgard. A message had been sent ahead of them on a fast horse and there were people lined up to welcome them back with waving and loud cheers. The household staff had been on full steam ahead to prepare for the unexpected return and – perhaps most importantly of all – the Royal Family were impatiently waiting to receive them at the barracks, out of the way of the public, where their welcome would not be disturbed. Fulla had Loki on her knee, who was almost bursting with anticipation at the thought of seeing Thor after all these weeks and Frigga was waiting in her official dress and capacity as the ruler of the Palace in Odin’s absence; she would officially hand the sceptre back to him upon his arrival and then the formalities would be over and done with.

 

But formalities, it seemed, were never in the picture. As soon as the lead horses came around the corner of the building, Loki wriggled free of Fulla’s grip and ran with all the speed he could muster to them, where fortunately, Odin and Thor were reining them in to avoid an accident.

“Thor!” Squealed the little Prince, “Thor! I looked after Móðir! Look, there she is and she only cried a little bit. I looked after her like I said I would!” He looked up at his brother adoringly, reaching up as high as he could and just about managing to touch the sole of his riding boot. Thor carefully jumped down from the saddle and scooped Loki up into an embrace, laughing out loud as the younger boy squeezed him hard and whispered, “Oh Thor I have missed you so much!”

“So have I brother. It is good to be home.” He ruffled Loki’s hair and kissed his head as he carried him over to where his mother was sitting, trying to remember the correct form of address he was supposed to give her when returning from adventures abroad, but Frigga had decided that formalities were indeed not going to be followed today and she stood up to come forward and hug her sons, whereupon Odin joined them and they all embraced. It was only because Tyr was away on placement at the moment that they were not all together as a family, but Loki was delighted non-the-less and he giggled as Thor playfully tickled his ribs.

 

They parted then, and Thor took on a serious tone, determined to make this a special reunion for Loki despite his fatigue from his ordeal.

“Móðir, are you well?” He asked, “Have you been guarded from all evils by my appointed deputy?”

“Oh yes,” replied Frigga, looking at Loki proudly. The little boy’s eyes were wide with expectation. “Prince Loki has proven himself a most courteous and brave man in your absence, in fact almost as good as my King!” She turned to Odin and dipped her head respectfully: some formalities should still be acknowledged, she felt, “Welcome home, My King.” she added, and he nodded back to her, accepting the rather informally offered sceptre. She looked more closely at Thor then and her face furrowed with a frown, “What has happened to you?” She asked.

“It is a long story, and one best told after a hot bath and a decent meal. Nothing to worry yourself about, my Queen.” Said Odin, but he knew she was not pleased. There was something different about Thor – something had changed while he was away on that Mountainside in that storm, and Odin meant to go to Mimir and find out just exactly what, but he had an inkling that Frigga was already seeing it with her Sight. He steered her back towards the Palace, “Let us sup, my dear. Come along, boys!”

 

As Odin and Frigga set off towards the Palace, Thor set Loki down and held his hand, but remembered something and went over to his horse to retrieve something from his pack. He turned around and held out the even sorrier-looking toy to Loki and smiled. “I am sorry brother. We got caught in a storm and Helgrindr fell in the dirt. I managed to bring him back, though!” He gave Loki a puzzled look; the little boy was scrutinising him in a most peculiar way and was not really paying much attention to the proffered toy. _Helgrindr was Loki’s absolute favourite, what was the matter with him?_ After a few moments, Loki took Helgrindr from him and they began to walk back to the Palace after their parents.

“Thank you for bringing Gandr back, Thor.” Said Loki.

“You are most welcome, Brother. Thank you for looking after Móðir.”

“What is the light you have brought back too, Thor?”

“What light Loki?” Thor was puzzled now and, on top of his tiredness, he could not understand what Loki was asking.

“The pale fire all around you Thor. The white crackles in your eyes.” Loki giggled, “You look like you are full of lightning – will you boom like thunder when you shout, too?”

 

Loki pulled on Thor’s hand then, dragging him to try to catch up with Odin and Frigga, and it was Thor who was lost in thought as they made their way back, wondering just what this “pale fire” was that Loki had seen.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you didn't mind one which concentrated a bit more on Thor rather than Loki :)  
> And yes, it is a gratuitous self insert - I star as Thor's power.
> 
> And that's because Loki makes me do what I want - you should really know this by now! *wink*


End file.
